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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. spell — magic
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. press — to push
  7. track — to keep track
  8. press — a publisher
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. craft — boats
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. cell — in biology
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. track — a song
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. track — a path
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. spell — letters
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cell — a phone
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com